Murder in Murray Hill (Gaslight Mystery) by Victoria Thompson Page A

just there, waiting and watching, as he made his way out of the building where he’d worked for so many years. He made a point of looking each one of them in the face, and they had the good grace to look away. Envy wasn’t a very honorable emotion, but they’d turn the anger they felt at themselves on him, so he didn’t bother to speak to anyone. Men he’d known for over a decade turned away. Even the shackled felons in the lobby downstairs were silent as he passed.
    Tom opened the door for him and gave him a little salute as he stepped outside. “We’ll miss you, Mr. Malloy.”
    “Thank you, Tom. I expect I’ll miss you, too.”
    “Think about us now and then, won’t you?”
    Frank smiled at that. “Oh, I’ll think about you more often than that.”
    His heart thudded in his chest as he walked down Mulberry Street, not daring to look back. He needed to see Sarah. He’d have to make one stop along the way, but then he’d see her. She wouldn’t understand, not really, but she’d listen.
    • • •
    T he girls had just taken the cakes out of the oven when someone rang Sarah’s doorbell. Catherine’s little face crumpled in disappointment.
    “Maybe it’s not a baby,” Mrs. Ellsworth said.
    “If it is, we’ll save you some, Mrs. Brandt,” Maeve called after her as she went to answer the door.
    Sarah swallowed her disappointment. She couldn’t help thinking that when she and Malloy were married, she’d never have to drop everything to go deliver a baby. The knowledge should have thrilled her, but how many times had she been grateful her life had a real purpose? Her parents might be glad she was going to return to the kind of life she’d known growing up, a life where women were cosseted and safe, but she also knew most women in that world were bored and unhappy, too.
    She was so lost in thought that at first she didn’t realize she recognized the shadowy figure visible through the glass. “Malloy,” she said when she’d thrown open the door. But her smile froze when she saw the expression on his face. “What’s happened?”
    “I got fired.”
    “From the police? Whatever for?”
    “They found out about the money.”
    Before Sarah could even register this amazing statement, Catherine exploded out of the kitchen and raced into Malloy’s arms. Maeve and Mrs. Ellsworth quickly followed. The next few minutes passed in greetings and in reporting to Malloy how they were making strawberry shortcake and would he like to have some? He readily agreed, only to be told by a solemn Catherine that the cakes were still too hot, so they’d have to wait awhile.
    “That’s all right,” he said. “I need to talk to Mrs. Brandt about something, so by the time we’re done, the cakes should be cooled down enough. Mrs. Brandt, maybe you’d like to go for a walk with me.”
    “I, uh . . .” Sarah considered the possibility of having a private conversation here with Mrs. Ellsworth and the girls lurking nearby, and said, “Let me get my hat.”
    A few minutes later, after Sarah had changed into something more appropriate for the street, she and Malloy set out down Bank Street, heading toward Washington Square.
    “How did they find out?” Sarah asked as soon as they were safely away from the house.
    “A newspaper reporter went to Headquarters asking questions about me. O’Brien didn’t give me any details, just that the fellow works for the
Sun
. I’m guessing it’ll be in the paper soon.”
    “I suppose it is an interesting story.”
    “For people who don’t have anything important to think about, I guess.”
    “And they just fired you for that?”
    “You should have been there. Every cop in the place was staring at me like I was a sideshow freak at the circus.”
    “I’m so sorry.” She tried to think of something more to say, but words couldn’t take away the hurt he must have been feeling at being so unceremoniously booted out of a job he’d done all his adult life. He looked so